Aloria
Geography The Democratic Republic of Aloria is a nation in Northwest Artania. Aloria occupies Antaria's northwest corner. On Aloria's northeastern border is Dorvik; on its eastern border is Kirlawa; on its southeastern border is Dundorf; and along its southern border is Rutania. The blue waters of the Verranderlijke Ocean wash ashore on Aloria's West Coast. Aloria has five provinces: *Gavonshire *Krentori *Kurmal *Sildar *Ultran Demographics Population The most populous areas are in the north and east. The northern region consists of the largest and most populated cities in the country. 25% of the population lives in the province of Ultran. The highest population is concentrated around the cities of Ultran and Port Liberty, which is one of the largest towns in the country. The province of Kurmal, the largest province of Aloria, is also a very populated region. In Gavonshire, Sildar and Krentori the most populated areas are only concentrated in and around the large cities. Origin Alorians are a mix of Kurmal-natives known collectively as Alorian Indians (mostly Vetari and Concordia Indians), and settlers from Dorvik and Kirlawa, who settle down in the Kurmal mountains in the 9th century AD. These people were, and still are, considered as the native population of Aloria. During the 13th and 14th Centuries, white explorers who traveled up the Antarian westcoast settled down on the Sildar peninsula. More then thousand years later this resulted in a mixed white and native Alorian race. Today, they form the majority of the population, while the native-Alorians were reduced to less then 5% of the population. From the 21st Century on, immigrants from other parts of the world came to Aloria, mostly from Istalia, Cildania and Darnussia. Those immigrants still form a minority in Aloria, but their cultural influences are very effective on today's society. Language English is the official language in Aloria, and is spoken by almost 75% of the population. English in Aloria is notable for its Alorian dialect, or the Alorian slang, which is most common in the rural areas of the country. 23% of Alorians speak Alorian, a Romance language with Artanian influences directly descended from ancient Seleyan Latin. Small minorities of Alorians Indians in the east still maintain their native language, which is called Kurmali. Generally those who speak minority languages also speak English. Religion The majority of the Alorians are Christian (almost 69% of the population). Foreign missionaries brought Early Christian influences to Aloria. Many of them build monasteries high in the Kurmal Mountains. A second strand of influence came from the many immigrants moving into Aloria late in the 21st Century. Aloria's native religion is Bogism, which comprises 12% of Aloria's population and finds a very devout following in the Kurmali Alorians. Aloria's second largest minority religion is Judaism. The religion found support among about 10% of the population. Libertia and Sildar City have the largest Jewish pockets. The third largest minority religion in Aloria is Islam (6% of the population). Islamic followers immigrated to Aloria mainly in the early-22nd Century. They are mostly concentrated in harbor cities as Port Libertia, Port Aloria and Ceres. The Christian Archbishop is the highest Christian religious leader in the country. Government Aloria is a federal republic composed of territorial sovereigns united under a central government. Aloria's provinces are famously empowered compared to provinces in other nations. They are charged with a large share of Aloria's governing responsibility, enabling Aloria's federal government to remain relatively small. Aloria's federal government is a parliamentary democracy with a split head of state. In the 25th Century, during the Luthori war, Justice Carmine Delgado wrote a Supreme Court opinion discussing some of the differences between the duties of the Cabinet, which is a branch of the Parliament, and the President, which is Aloria's head of state. Generally, the President is charged with negotiating foreign treaties and dealing with military matters, subject to the approval of Parliament. While there is some disagreement as to what matters the Parliament may properly regulate in foreign affairs, it is generally agreed that Parliament determines the size of the military and Foreign Affairs budgets; that the Cabinet Ministers decide how those budgets are spent except where mandated by Parliament; and that the President performs all executive functions in defense and foreign affairs--i.e., functions requiring prompt, decisive action. The President is also the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. Political Parties and Parliament Listed below are the active political parties in Aloria and their respective share of seats in Parliament as of September 2672, arranged by seat share largest to smallest: The Alorian Cabinet See also: Alorian Cabinet The Alorian Cabinet is composed of the Ministry of Head of Government and 12 ministries. It is chaired by the Prime Minister, who is the highest official of the Ministry of Head of Government. 1. Ministry of Head of Government 2. Ministry of Foreign Affairs 3. Ministry of Internal Affairs 4. Ministry of Finance 5. Ministry of Defense 6. Ministry of Justice 7. Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport 8. Ministry of Health and Social Services 9. Ministry of Education and Culture 10. Ministry of Science and Technology 11. Ministry of Food and Agriculture 12. Ministry of Environment and Tourism 13. Ministry of Trade and Industry History main article: History of Aloria see also: List of Presidents of the Democratic Republic of Aloria Libertarian Dominance to the Big Deal (2430-2474) presided over the enactment of many early, Big Deal economic reforms.]] Throughout the 25th Century, Alorian politics were dominated by the Moderate Libertarian Party (MLP) and the Constitution Party, who had largely similar laissez-faire ideological goals. Their signature legislation was the “flat budget,” in which all ministries were awarded the same low amount of funding each year. Midway through the century, the Democratic Rationalists (DRs) emerged as a force in opposition to such ideology. Their motto: "A New Order for the Ages." They begin scoring some victories, as their candidates, first Helmut Helmut and Solomon Kane were both elected President. Both enacted their “Big Deal” economic reforms, which included provisions for a minimum wage, and some expansions in health and social service programs. Funding remained sparse, however, as the MLP/CP coalition defeated most tax and budget bills necessary to implement the reforms. Kane’s proposed “Treaty for International Wage Standards” gained some traction abroad, but was ultimately never approved by Parliament. From Budget Wars to the Progressive Renaissance (2474-2527) The Democratic Rationalists allied with the Alorian Free Democrats, a new party, to defeat the flat budget. A series of “budget wars” followed, as political battles were fought over how much funding each ministry would receive. Over the course of time, MLP and its allies entered into dominance, electing and re-electing for many terms as President Daniel Mansifeld. A few events, however came together to tip the balance in the other way. First, a new political party called the Progressive League for Advanced Nations (PLAN), starts to become a contender in the presidential elections. In a shocking turn of events, PLAN candidate Jerome Resso was elected President in 2505. Additionally, the 2505 election was the first time that the newly formed Publitrican Party (later the Alorian Public Union) participated. The party had begun as a movement in Ultran and to a lesser extent in Slidar, where a new political phenomenon known as the "Publitrican Movement" of social conservative and economic progressive principles was taking root. Various faction merged together to form one party under the leadership of Colgate Herman Johnson, from the "Patrician Family of Ultran", who ran as the party's candidate in 2505 as well as in a few subsequent elections. Jerome Resso was narrowly defeated in a rematch against Mansfield three years later. Out of the eighty million votes cast, the two were separated by less then a million. Mansfield then continued to cut the budget, and eventually all ministries were drastically downsized. By 2520, Alorian federal spending accounted for roughly less than %1 of GDP. One general called it a “miracle” that Aloria is not attacked by foreign invaders. of the Publitrican Party and Colton White of the Democratic Rationalists were for 12 years partners in the Leadership of the Progressive Coalition and of Aloria throughout the Progressive Rennassiance]] A Coalition consisting of the Democratic Rationalists, the People's Reform Party and the Publitrican Party (later Alorian Public Union), the Democratic Centrist Party and the Alorian Free Democrats united to implement reforms for an overall dramatic increase in the role of the national government in Alorian life. Over the course of about two decades, federal government spending rose from less than %1 of GDP to just under 20%. A mandatory living wage was also enacted. Social Security, National Health Care, and National Welfare plans too were enacted and sustained for a time. Meanwhile, Democratic Rationalist Colton White and Publitrican Nelson Cudderboard ran the country together as President and Prime Minister, eventually switching roles with one another. The two were partners in the leadership of the Progressive Coalition and of Aloria throughout the Progressive Renaissance. The Politics of Polarity (2527-2557) Despite their success in the parliament, divisions within the Progressive Coalition prevented it from holding the Presidency, which the MLP regained after two terms of Colton White (who had decided not to run for a third term, instead selecting Prime Minister Cudderboard to run in his place as the coalition candidate). Newly-elected MLP President Jack Vincent Jr. attempted to reassert Libertarian power from the Presidential Palace when he ordered the Executive Cabinet disbanded, and locks all Cabinet heads out of the Old Executive Office Building. Finance Minister Sojourner Smart challenged the lockout in court. Chief Judge Carmine Delgado, an MLP appointee, wrote an opinion declaring that Aloria's constitutional "separation of powers" between the Head of Government and the President bars the President from unilaterally shutting down the Cabinet. Though Vincent complied with the decision, Cabinet business remained held at the Lambrecht Office Complex, a building rented during the lockout as a temporary cabinet headquarters. The Old Executive Office Building was converted first into a homeless shelter, and later a museum. Vincent was not re-elected and the Progressive Coalition retook the presidency. Nelson Cudderboard was President for two-terms, with former President Colton White as his Prime Minister. After Cudderboard's two terms, the Coalition collapsed over the issue of a state-acknowledged religion. As a result, the MLP recaptured the Presidency with their candidate Vincento Vanzetti V, but libertarianism saw little overall success in its parliamentary bills and in crafting government policy. Hartsen Caddy of the APU assumed the Prime Ministership, as the old coalition parties sought to rebuild their alliance and regain the chief executive seat. For decades however, Vanzetti was President, while the progressives controlled parliament and its Prime Minister Hartsen Caddy acted as the voice of opposition to the Libertarian President. At this point, the Democratic Socialist Party (DSP) emerged, they would later join the Progressive Coalition. Vanzetti was eventually defeated as the newly formed Liberal Party burst onto the scene, capturing the plurality of seats in the Parliament as well as the Presidential Palace in Libertia. However, Liberal Party support precipitously dropped off over the course of the next two election cycles. Historians still debate the causes and nature of this flash in the pan movement. Their one term President Albert Mora, sought to curb the polarity in politics, to little avail. Meanwhile, the DSP cemented it alliance with the Progressive Coalition. The Politics of Coalition and Luthori Intervention (2557-2583) In 2558, President Ben Thompson of the Democratic Centrist Party was elected as the Progressive Coalition rallies to elect its first President in years. The War of Luthori Succession soonafter came to Aloria's attention. The Gerahon (Luthori) Imperial Diet had voted to amend its constitution to abolish the country's entrenched monarchy. Imperial forces rebelled, enlisting the aid of fellow monarchist governments from around Terra. As it appeared Republican forces would be defeated, talks began in Alorian leadership circles of a possible intervention to "promote democracy abroad." Aloria's covert agency, DRACO, began operations in Luthori, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent weapons and aid to the Republican Militias, and 1,000 Alorian Advisors were sent as well. The Moderate Libertarian Party sharply protested the idea of intervention. Terrorists allegedly affiliated with Luthori monarchists then struck, using explosives to destroy several military recruiting facilities across to protest possible Alorian intervention in Gerahon. At the same time, various MLP members contacted numerous soldiers to encourage them to desert. Some soldiers did, though the exact numbers are disputed. In some provinces, however, enlistment declined as a wave of terror attacks occurred. Articles of impeachment were submitted to the Parliament by the MLP. Most parties did not vote on the bill. However, a majority of parties that did vote voted for President Thompson's impeachment. At his later trial, however, President Thompson was acquitted of any wrongdoing. The MLP was then censured by the Parliament for its alleged affiliations with terrorists and free speech slandering of the President. Much went into the next elections of 2565. Socialist Prime Minister William Fletcher, a big proponent of intervention in Luthori, ran as the candidate of the Progressive Coalition, the successor to President Thompson. The MLP ran former one-term President, son of the MLP President from decades before, Jack Vincent Jr. The Election was a big win for Fletcher, who soon sent 150,000 Alorian Troops to Luthori. The country was currently in a cease-fire and Fletcher's intent was to strengthen the Republican side of the peacetalks. Eventually, the war came to an end, and while throughout their deployment there was a cease-fire, 548 Alorian soldiers were killed in guerrilla raids. Tired of losing to the Progressive Coalition, conservatives in the United Republican Party, Proud of Aloria and the Liberal Party banded together to form their own coalition, the Front for Liberty. Their goal is to appeal to center-right voters alienated by MLP's staunch libertarianism. In 2568, Front For Liberty candidate Peter Alderson of the Proud of Aloria Party defeated President William Fletcher's bid for re-election, but the FFL coalition failed to win enough seats in Parlaiment to overcome the Progressive Coalition's majority there. Peter Alderson's proved to be a weak presidency, and the next election saw an overwhelming defeat as Socialist and Progressive Coalition Candidate William Fletcher's won re-election to that office. Once by far the plurality party, MLP now saw itself undergoing an identity crisis, as the old party leadership was briefly usurped by a once minor Libertarian Socialist faction. Vincento Vanzetti VII and Vincento Vanzetti VIII, grandson and great grandson of the President Vincento Vanzetti V and thus part of what is considered part of the party's aristocracy, soon after were found dead at their respective homes. Due to the suspicious circumstances of the death, the Justice Ministry, on order from then Minister of Justice Horatio Riley Herman, began an investigation. The MLP libertarian-socialist faction sternly refused to cooperate even after having been subpoenaed. When Herman ordered the Party's Lawyers disbarred and that the party lost its legislative privileges, an independent court overturned the punishment. The formal investigations were eventually closed; the Vanzetti deaths were both ruled suicides. The controversy surrounding the new party's leadership turned off some of MLP's old constituents. There was protesting and later riots at the party's convention in 2577, and soon the Libertarian Socialist faction was thrown out of its leadership role in the party. Former Libertarian President Jack Vincent, Jr. again took up the mantle of party leadership, running as the party's presidential candidate later that year. The next elections proved to be decisive for the Progressive Coalition. A boost in government spending on Health and Human Services caused an overall economic boom in Aloria, and this boded well for the Progressive Coalition. For the first time in centuries the presidential election did not go into a second round as the Coalition's candidate Democratic Rationalist Millicent Smith won in the first round with more then 52% of the vote. The Coalition also won 446 seats in the 750-seat parliament, its largest majority yet. All provinces but the long Libertarian stronghold of Krentori voted to grant its plurality of parliamentary seats to a Progressive Party. After the election, the FFL soon disbanded. The Libertarian Revolution (2583-2623) The first issue facing President Smith was a second Civil War in the Luthori. Smith, espousing the principles of the "Fletcher Doctrine" of Alorian intervention on behalf of Artanian self-determination, sent a naval task force, the action was meant to send a message to the Alduria who were threatening to send a ground force to the county. Fortunately, Alorian intervention was never escalated, and despite heightened tensions, the issue was resolved and Alorian military forces returned home. Meanwhile, internal struggles of fractionism were tearing apart the Alorian Public Union. APU Chairman Horatio Riley Herman (who had since resigned his post as Justice Minister) saw this and decided he would try for a Presidential run in the next elections, as a way you unify the party. He had long had presidential ambitions, and saw this as his last chance. Incumbent Millicent Smith, however, had no intention of stepping aside. In a compromise, it was decided that Herman would wait until the next election and would meanwhile hold the position of Prime Minister Then, the Libertarian Party, not affiliated with the Moderate Libertarian Party, emerged. After Smith's second term, the MLP and the Libertarian Party formed their own Conservative Coalition and ran their own candidate, Daniel T. Great in the 2584 election. Herman was unable to secure the presidency that year, as his party was further disintegrating and was unable to run his campaign. Daniel T. Great was then elected to the executive office, and soonafter the Alorian Public Union collapsed. APU politicians quickly searched for other party's to join. Herman joined the Democratic Rationalist Party and Minister of Health Julian Thames joined the Socialist Alliance. Early elections were held, as the APU was a full 1/5 of Parliament and that void needed to be filled. Democratic Centrist Richard Smith decisively beat out one-term incumbent Great. The first issue facing the new President Smith was an epidemic of the "Brenner Virus" in Calliope, Krentori. The city was quarrentined, over the objections of the MLP and of the Krentori Provincial Legislature, but still the virus spread. A state of emergency was issued, and all areas infected with BV were then also quarantined, the country put on "lockdown" so far as international travel was concerned. The hardest hit area initially was Krentori. Krentorians were very dissatisfied with the response of the national government, particularly the quarantine of Calliope, and a small separatist secession movement soon took control of the Provincial Government there. From 2587 till the early 2625, the MLP together with the Conservative Union dominated Parliament. Due to internal problems and crises, all other parties collapsed in those decades, first with the Liberals, followed by the Rationalists and the Socialist Alliance. This gave the Libertarians and Conservative Union a free hand to retain the majority in parliament. Until 2625, Aloria was ruled by MLP presidents (Alvarez, Kirkwood, Jones and Franco) and CU presidents (Kennedy, Bush and Salvatore). Both parties swapped the presidency and parliament pluralities with regularity during their nearly four decade conservative bloc reign. But after almost 40 years of MLP/CU dominance, several new parties rose to compete against the MLP and CU. First, new Socialist and Communist parties were established, and later the neo-conservative Nationalist Party. Rise of Nationalism and the Kurmal Communist Insurrection (2623-2633) The elections of 2623 marked the beginning of a new era. After nearly four decades of rule the MLP and CU lost their majority in parliament, which cleared the way for the Nationalists, Socialists and Communists. The elections, however, caused an impossible political landscape in parliament in which no one of the political blocs gain a majority. The Nationalists gained a tremendous electoral victory, when the new party won plurality in parliament going from 0 to 220 seats, an event that only happened before when the liberals entered politics in the 2550's. Although none of the parties wanted to work together with the ultra-nationalists, whom they considered extremists, this only gave the Nationalist Party more popularity. The political crisis, which was caused when none of the parties was able to form a new government due the huge polarization that existed, resulted in early elections. In March 2625, the Nationalists gained the presidency, when Bernard Rosenberg won the presidential elections marking an end to Libertarian/CU presidential dominance. Rosenberg was also the first president to served a four-year term since the new legislature moved the presidential term up from 3.5 years to 4 years. The Nationalists started a new rightist program that contained heavily anti-immigrant policies, alongside intentional isolationism and populist-corporatism. The Alorian government had essentially become three major factions: the Nationalists, the Libertarians, and the Marxists (a coalition of radical socialists and communists), with neither one of them being able to gain the upper hand. During Rosenberg's four years in office, there was little development of unity between the conservative parties. Meanwhile,Communist Party of Aloria leader Lucien Kannaly gave a speech that many believed called for a civil war led by militant communists. The MLP then called on Rosenberg to have capitol police charge and put Kanally on trial for treason and attempting to incite violence. Rosenberg eventually responded and CPA headquarters were raided. Kanally managed to escape, however, and CPA militants in Kurmal Province violently took-over local governments. For the next three years, thousands of anti-communist and pro-communist forces were killed as were hundreds of civilans. While billionaire Prime Minister Pierce Farnsworth used part of his personal fortune to evacuate civilians from Kurmal and fund anti-communist forces, the violence slowed but did not stop. In Gavonshire Province, meantime, militant unionists attacked police leading to riots. Unlike Kurmal, however, the violence was temporary. Due to concerns with the Nationalists handling of the war, Rosenberg was defeated by former-opponent Carla Franco of the MLP. She won by just over 3/10ths of 1% -- or roughly 385,000 votes nationwide. This was the second closest presidential election in Alorian history. Analysts credit Franco's win in large part due to the communist hijacking of governments in Kurmal and socialist riots in Gavonshire. Nationalism had peaked in Aloria. After Franco's reelection, a new executive cabinet was quickly formed by the MLP and NP. Farnsworth stepped-down as Prime Minister to the NP's John D. Cassidy. This compromise was seen as a first triumph for the Franco Administration. One month after the election of 2629, CPA leader Lucien Kannaly was wounded and captured by anti-communist forces in Kurmal. Shortly after his arrest, Franco called on parliament to approve a blockade and then a limited bombing of strategic communist terrorist installations throughout the province. Franco reasoned this would help end the hostile communist take-over and violence in the region that had persisted for over three years. Parliament approved both measures and Franco implemented the blockade first. Before the blockade began, however, a jury found Kannaly guilty on 86 of the government's 93 criminal charges against him. The charges included treason, inciting violence and murder. Kanally was sentenced to life without parole by Alorian Federal Judge Reggie Holden. The Rebels were soon after defeated. The Mid War Period (2633-2653) The 2633 election's saw a new political party, the Social Populist Party (initially called the Social Capitalist Party) emerge, with their candidate Gene Hamshee elected president. He won round 1 voting by almost 2% and round 2 by nearly 5%. The election was expected to see either Carla Franco or Bernard Rosenberg reelected, so this came as a suprise to the political and media establishment. To them,it seemed Hamshee was a third tier candidate running against two other popular presidents. In hindsight, however, the reason for Hamshee's victory has been attributed to a lack of faith in both former Presidents Rosenberg and Franco. While Franco had a high approval rating during the communist insurgency, she was viewed largely as an alternative to Rosenberg's management of that war, and in fact had years previous been booted out of that office. Meanwhile, the war with the communists had ended, and many socialists were disappointed with the radical militance of the left, just as many social conservatives were disappointed with the radical militarism of the right. SCP was seen as more moderately tempered choice. The SPP was the for runner to the Alorian Populist Party. The new President Hamshee reached out to the Nationalist Party to form a coalition with them. They launched a program reminiscent of the Big Deal centuries earlier called the "New Society", liberal spending programs meant to increase the role of government in Alorian life. Hamshee's coalition with the Nationalists collapsed during his second term however. He then reached out to the Communists, who had just a decade before launched an insurrection against the government. He was much maligned for the communist influence on his administration. In fact,he even pardoned former rebel leader Lucien Kanally, a move which was much attacked by many including former Prime Minister and Presidential candidate Pierce Farnsworth. As a result, Farnsworth went-on to win the presidency, defeating Nationalist Washington Brown with 53% of the vote in the 2641 elections. The Moderate Libertarian Party regained the plurality of parliament with 219 seats as well. In his victory speech, Farnsworth called the dual-win the "rebirth of the libertarian revolution." Shortly after taking office, Farnsworth attempted to revoke Hamshee's pardon of Lucien Kanally. Supreme Court Justice Reggie Holden wrote an opinion declaring it illegal. Farnsworth capitulated to this ruling and instead helped over 700 victim's and their families file a $36 trillion ALO civil lawsuit against Kannaly. Kanally did not appear at the proceedings. Upon news of the CPA and Lucien Kannaly packing-up to leave the country in July 2641, Judge Reggie Holden handed-down the $36 trillion ALO forefeiture verdict. Farnsworth was renominated by his party for the 2644 election. In 2645, Farnsworth was reelected to a second-term by over 57% of the vote. That year also saw the centuries old Constitution Party reimerge. Wes Rockyfeller, the heir to a vast portion of the Rockyfeller Family fortune and younger brother of the CEO of Rockyfeller Chemicals Incorporated, pumped billions of his own money into the party. Centuries ago, the Rockyfeller family had used the Constitution Party as their political front. Eventually, they had joined in with the MLP (who had a very similar ideology to the Constitution Party). Now, Wes Rockyfeller sought to restore his family's past political power by relaunching the Constitution Party. Thanks to a effective campaiging, the party won a plurality in parliament. Wes Rockyfeller was appointed Prime Minister by Farnsworth after that. The Nationalist Party soon after disbanded. 1/6 of Parliament went empty because of this. Because of this, the CP/MLP coalition was able to gain a majority in parliament. They rolled back the laws and programs of the New Society. The Populist Party pushed for early elections to fill the gap in parliament, but they were blocked from doing so by Rockyfeller. The SPP then prepared for elections in 2649. By this time, the Communist Party of Aloria was back, and the more moderate Democratic Socialist party was founded. The SPP nominated former Health and Social Services Minister Craig Joseph Leif for the elections of 2649. He rallied against what he said was the "undemocratic libertarian-minimalist governance of Aloria" With the endorsement of the Democratic Socialist and Anarchist parties, he was able to win in a blowout against two term incumbent Pierce Farnsworth. The SPP also gained a plurality of Parliament. The election signaled a revival of the New Society. Most of the New Societies programs were brought back. Meanwhile, the number of Alorian Socialist parties increased, and it was clear that the country had turned left. The Communist Part of Aloria, which had left Aloria just a few years ago, returned. It was clear that the MLP revival had ended. The peace and prosperity of Aloria however, was soon also to come to a crashing end. A Call to Arms (2653-c.2670) The Alorian left rallied around President Leif and endorsed him for reelection in 2653. Plans for a Third Progressive Coalition were then drawn up, and it was eventually established. Soonafter, in the country of al-Badarah, a new, dictatorial, oppressive and tyrannical regime had taken over. The country was renamed the Soviet Reich, and the government began ethnic cleaning of the country's Jewish and Arab populations. President Leif made it known that such action was intolerable. The Alorian Foreign Ministry soon undertook a diplomatic mission to gather support against the Soviet Reich. Patrick Kannaly, who had fought against his great uncle years part is the Kurmali Civil War, founded the Alorian Expeditionary Brigade, which consisted of troops, mostly from Aloria but many from other countries as well. The AEB was formed to deal with the persecutions in the Soviet Reich, Parliament soon voted to recognize the AEB as an agent of Aloria, and required it seek the authorization of President and of the Defence Minister before acting. The ranks in the AEB swelled to just over a million. The Soviet Reich was a member of the superstate alliance, the New World Order. The NWO sought to take over the world a create a solitary, New World Order. Towards that end, they used militaristic aggression. Tensions between NWO and Aloria built over the issue of the Soviet Reich. In 2654, President Leif was assassinated. His automobile was bombed. A latter investigation concluded that it had been a plot by a domestic cell working on behalf of the Soviet Reich and the NWO. Socialist Prime Minister Henry Canning succeeded Leif to the Presidency for the rest of the term. The Alorian Military, along with AEB, continued its recruitment and increasing its strength. Then, the NWO launched a crippling, nuclear attack. Millions of Alorians were killed and virtually all of its cities were destroyed. NWO troops then invaded and took over almost all of Aloria except for some mountain land in Kurmal and swampland in Krentori. In Kurmal, the Alorian Red Army, a paramilitary force founded by the Socialist and Communist parties, fought on, while in Krentori a rag tag force led by former Prime Minister Wes Rockyfeller of the Constitution Party resisted the invading force. Additionally, the entrenched regular Alorian Army fought on. The AEB, now compromised of two million Alorians and 800,000 foreign recruits, launched an seaborne assault on the beaches of Krentori and liberated much of the country from there on, joined by the Red Army, Rockyfeller's Army, and the regular Alorian Army, until about half of Aloria was free and the other half was under NWO occupation. A peace conference between NWO and Aloria was initiated, but fell through once NWO demanded Aloria join. President Canning resisted, viewing the move as surrender and submission to a tyrannical, oppressive force. In the middle of the meetings however, anti-Reich forces took back control of the Soviet Reich and restored the old country of Al-Badarah. The new President was friendly to Aloria, a complete 180 from the position taken by the earlier regime. Al-Badarah withdrew from the New World Order, but the war between other NWO member states and free Aloria continued. The Al-Badarii Army then joined with the Alorian resistance against in war against the NWO. The war had by this point entered into a ceafire of sorts, a funk. An official ceasefire had been put in place for the peace conference, but when that fell through, neither side dare brake the truce. Aloria was divided between "Free Aloria" in Gavonshire, Kurmal, and Western Krentori and "Loyal Aloria" (to the NWO) in Ultran, Sildar, and Port Aloria. In this atmosphere, through two elections, both called early for by the Alorian Parliament, and much more political maneuvering, former Prime Minister Wes Rockyfeller, Prime Minister Henry Canning, and finally, in 2560, Libertarian Janice Stanhope were elected President. Parliament plurality was recaptured by the conflict-neutral Moderate Libertarian Party. The Constitution Party, renamed the Industralist Party, lead by Rockyfeller Inc. millionaire heir Wes Rockyfeller, began advocating membership in the NWO for an end to hostilities. They began pushing for it in government. In response, former Prime Minister Todd Hamshee (son of the former president) with young war veteran Orion Patrick held a rally in Libertia which brought out 25,000 protestors against the proposals in government to join the NWO, citing the destruction of Aloria that they had troubled the country with. The proposals were soundly rejected. The Industalist Party then joined the NWO. This caused Orion Patrick and many others to call for Rockyfeller's arrest as a traitor. But in exchange, Rockyfeller was made Governor of "Loyal Aloria" and given the responsibility of administration of the occupied lands. Whereas before the occupation had been devastating and harsh, with millions interned and even enslaved, the change in administration shifted the occupation to a much less harsh and even loose condition. The Alorian government, as punishment for treason, then compensated and nationalized all of Rockyfeller's assets including Rockyfeller Chemicals Inc. This was widely considered a rash move by many moderate Alorians as Rockyfeller Chemicals was only 23% owned by Wes Rockyfeller at the time, although his nephew, Nathaniel Rockyfeller, owned a larger portion and was CEO. They then broke the two year ceeasfire and launched a counter offensive in Krentori named "Operation Ponderosa" which recaptured Port Aloria from NWO control, thus now controlling all of Krentori. As of 2661, the NWO threatened to push back with even worse retribution, ordering another 10 million soldiers to Aloria bringing the total to 15 million, three times the size of the Alorian Army. In 2661, President Stanhope urged parliament to draft and pass the Peace Accords as a way to end the national conflict peacefully. The Accords were written to gain all lands back from the IPA/NWO in exchange for no criminal prosecution for wartime crimes. The Accords passed but the IPA/NWO faction failed to comply with them. That same year, Stanhope asked parliament for a declaration of war against the IPA-NWO Proxy State of "Loyal Aloria". After convening the Defense Ministry leaders, Stanhope went before the nation and a viewing audience reported to be of 100,000,000 citizens saying: "My fellow Alorians, good evening. I come before you tonight to let you know that the Peace Accords to end this unrest in Aloria have failed. The IPA/NWO stronghold have refused a satisfactory compromise to end the bloodshed and restore stability and peace. "Therefore, it is with both heavy heart and hand that we strike at the cesspoolof reactionary tyranny. Many will die for the republic and for that I can offer no apology deep enough to those who will grieve profusely. But our nation needs our hands and our strength now more than ever." "Do not fear my fellow Alorians. We have stood strong in times of absolute crisis and this one will prove no exception. Alorians are strong and committed to peace, prosperity and freedom. And we will never waiver from that creed." Thank you and goodnight." Immediately afterward, the MLP -- Stanhope's party -- withdrew their alliance with CapCoa of which the IPA is apart of. Meanwhile, the Foreign Ministry of Mary Fuelle and President Stanhope continued to negotiate with the NWO for a peace settlement. The IPA/NWO refused and parliament approved a declaration of war. In February 2663, airstrikes in IPA/NWO territory began followed by a land invasion three months later. The following year, Stanhope ran again and was defeated. Stanhope was defeated by a new man to come to power in the turmoil, Harrison Hoover of the Social Liberal Party. He had the support of the people(ultimately winning the Presidency two times) and lead Aloria into a more neutral state. That was to no avail however, as New World Order drive to crush Aloria strengthened, his government was pushed underground and all of Aloria was under NWO occupation. Nothing much could be done as Parliament tried to conduct business under heat, but unenforcable policies supporting capitalism were reinstated. After a period Rockyfeller Corporation, the Loyal Alorian incarnate of Rockyfeller Chemicals Incorporated, merged with the recently privatised Loyal Alorian Central Bank to form Rockygroup Incorporated. This company, all but fostered by the Loyal Alorian government, was the largest nongovernmental or rebel power ever to be seen in Alorian history. The New World Order Occupation (c.2670-present) Although there is much debate about when the occupation of Aloria got into full swing, it can definitely be assumed that it was fully established in 2670 when the Revolutionary Liberation Army(the former Communist Party of Aloria) became a New World Order member. Category:Artania